This invention relates to a process for the production of an anti-diarrhoeic product based on carob.
The anti-diarrhoeic properties of carob are well known. Thus, a composition containing 60 to 80% by weight roasted carob bean flour marketed under the name AROBON is known. However, this composition, which gives good results in the treatment of diarrhoea with no side effects, has the disadvantage of necessitating daily doses on the order of 20 g to 40 g which can give rise to problems of administration, particularly in young children.
Thus, European Patent Application Publication No. 214 317 describes an anti-diarrhoeic dietetic product containing a carob bean flour as active principle.
In this process, carob pods which have been shelled and crushed are ground in a mill and introduced into water. The sugars present in the carob and the tannins soluble in water at ambient temperatures are thus dissolved. After preparation of the liquid phase, a sugar-free product is collected.
To obtain a product freed from its microorganisms, the desugared carob is then introduced into a further quantity of water and pasteurized.
After pasteurization, the carob is reground so that it can be reduced to powder and spray-dried before being finally ground to a particle size enabling it to be suspended in a liquid.
Although the product obtained has all the characteristics of an effective anti-diarrhoeic agent coupled with considerable ease of administration by comparison with the prior art, it has several disadvantages in regard to the process used for its production.
In the first place and as explained in European Patent Application Publication No. 214 317, the anti-diarrhoeic effect is obtained through the presence of tannins in condensed forms which are insoluble in cold or tepid water and, more particularly, are insoluble at body temperature. Thus, these tannins enter the intestine without being degraded by gastric acid or inactivated by proteins. Accordingly, they perform a depurative and antiseptic function without intervening in the physiological processes.
Accordingly, in order to obtain an effective anti-diarrhoeic product, it is crucial to avoid solubilization of the tannins present in the desugared carob. Now, this solubilization process begins at temperatures of the order of 90.degree. C. and is considered to be complete at temperatures of the order of 120.degree. C.
Accordingly, this limits the pasteurizing treatment which is carried out at around 95.degree. C.
Accordingly, the end product obtained contains at least 20% by weight native tannins (expressed as total polyphenols) with a ratio by weight of soluble tannins to insoluble tannins of less than 0.37 for solubility measurement at 37.degree. C.
In the second place, the drying process is uneconomical because it follows a considerable addition of water required for pasteurization, the product having a dry matter content before drying of 20% to 25% by weight.
Accordingly, the problem addressed by the present invention was to provide a process for the production of an anti-diarrhoeic product of the type described in European Patent Application Publication No. 214 317 in which the pasteurization step could be carried out at much higher temperatures without solubilization of the tannins and which, in addition, would enable the pasteurization and drying steps to be carried out in a single stage.
The use of superheated steam for pasteurizing food products has been known for some time, cf. for example French Patent No. 1 020 798.
In addition, European Patent No. 58 651 describes a process and an apparatus for treating animal foods with superheated steam.
By means of this process and apparatus for treatment with superheated steam, it is possible to dry the product to be treated in proportions dependent on the treatment parameters of pressure and temperature of the superheated steam and treatment time.